The eternal genius (& youth) of Daft Punk

Daft Punk are metronome-like consistent pop-music geniuses. So it was sad to see them call it quits after a nearly 30-year run.

From 1997's Around the World through more-recent hits with Pharrell and The Weeknd, they consistently delivered catchy electronic ditties coupled with pleasing futuristic videos.

Of course, one of their visual trademarks was the incognito motorcycle-roboto getups. My guess is part of the reason for the futurama helmets was so they could bask in the limelight onstage while easily retaining their anonymity off it.

But here's another perk of the dual existence – possibly by design or maybe just a happy accident: We never witnessed them getting old before our very eyes.

Pop music has always been a younger person's game. Youth runs hand-in-hand with what's considered hip. No amount of acquired virtuosity can overcome age when it comes to what "the kids are into these days." After all, it can look rather silly when aging stars prance around the stage with a head full of grays and a pot-bellies. (That's not to say it's not wildly lucrative – see The Rolling Stones.) But there's no way around it: At some point, you get pushed into the Legacy-Act Zone, and your new music doesn't make a ripple. Quite the opposite, the new tunes are the cue for your audience to make a mad dash for the restrooms.

Unless, that is...we can't tell how much you've aged since we've never seen the real you – young or old.

That's the more-subtle genius of Daft Punk. The Boba Fett helmets stay shiny forever. If (when?) they decide to get back together, as long as their catchy-songwriting chops remain intact, I have no doubt they'll pump out more hits.

Pop-music stars age in dog years. Faceless icons stay young forever.